196 
THE WHOOPING CEANE. 
Arctic regions, from which it removes southward early in autumn. Abun 
dant in Georgia and Florida, and from thence to Texas. 
Adult Male. 
Bill long, straight, rather slender, but strong, compressed, pointed. Up- 
per mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, a little concave at the mid- 
dle, slightly decimate toward the tip, the ridge flat and rather broad as far as 
the middle, the sides sloping, towards the end convex, with a wide groove 
filled by a soft membrane, and extending nearly two-thirds of its length, the 
edges sharp but thick for two-thirds of its length, and very slightly serrated. 
Nostrils lateral, placed at about a third of the length of the bill from its base, 
oblong, large, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle narrow and very 
long, the sides perpendicular at the base, the edges straight and sharp. 
Head small, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. Neck very long. Body 
rather slender. Feet very long ; tibia long, bare to a large extent, and 
covered with transverse series of rectangular scales ; tarsus very long, rather 
compressed, covered anteriorly with numerous oblique scutella, posteriorly 
with large, and laterally with small scales ; toes rather small ; the first very 
small, second and fourth nearly equal, third considerably longer, the third 
and fourth connected at the base by a web of considerable size, all marginate, 
covered above with numerous narrow scutella, beneath broad, flattened, and 
granulate ; claws of moderate size, strong, considerably curved, rather com- 
pressed, that of hind toe much smaller, second and third largest, the latter 
with a groove on its inner edge. 
Fore and upper part of head to the occiput papillar, and covered only with 
small hairs, as are the sides of the head. The plumage in general is soft, but 
distinctly imbricated ; the feathers rounded, those of the neck short. Wings 
ample ; the second primary longest, third and fourth nearly as long, first 
longer than fifth ; inner secondaries and their coverts curved downwards, 
forming a beautiful bunch of loosely barbed feathers. Tail short, rounded, 
of twelve broad rounded feathers. 
Bill dusky, towards the base yellow. Iris yellow. Bare part of head 
carmine, with the hairs black. Feet black. The plumage is pure white, 
excepting the alula, primaries, and primary coverts, which are brownish- 
black. 
Length to end of tail 54 inches ; to end of wings 58, to end of claws 65 ; 
extent of wings 92 ; wing from flexure 224 ; tail 7 ; bill along the ridge 5 T 4 2, 
along the edge of the lower mandible 5 t 4 2> hare part of tibia 5 ; tarsus 1H ; 
middle toe 4-J, its claw f. 
•The young after its first autumnal moult has the sides of the head feathered 
behind the eye, and beneath to the base of the lower mandible ; the curved 
secondaries and their coverts are tapering and elongated, but not nearly 
